Antiretroviral drug resistance, drug toxicity, and adherence are major concerns in the clinical management of HIV infection. On the other hand, the immune activation caused by immune reaction to HIV, is now recognized as a major cause of depletion of CD4+ (CD4) T-cells and resulting immunodeficiency. In fact, African monkeys, the natural hosts of simian immunodeficiency virus have adapted to this retrovirus by blocking immune activation and thus remaining healthy. An optimal therapeutic solution would be an effective and safe immunotherapy that could regulate the immune response in a manner favorable to a host.
Dzherelo is an oral immunomodulating agent produced from 26 plant materials by the inventor. It contains concentrated extracts from medicinal plants. In vitro studies on cultured thymocytes and epithelial thymic cells have shown that Dzherelo can induce synthesis of serum thymic factor and other substances with thymus like activity. Experiments on laboratory animals demonstrated the restoration of endocrine function and increase of thymus weight after partial thymectomia. It has been successfully used in the past for the therapy of various infectious diseases of viral origin such as herpes and Epstein-Barr viruses. Prior evidence indicates the tendency of Dzherelo to restore suppressed immunity characteristic of chronic bacterial infections and malignant diseases. Furthermore, Dzherelo has shown efficacy in treatment of autoimmune diseases.
Pilot trials conducted by us in HIV-infected individuals have shown that Dzherelo is safe, can increase the total and CD4 lymphocyte counts, and reduce the incidence of opportunistic infections. In addition it appeared to have a favorable effect in diminishing the toxicity of antiretroviral drugs.
Dzherelo is a complex mixture, however. An effective composition having fewer components would be desirable.